Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of the finding that young people, particularly young women, have experienced greater declines in their mental health than others during the covid-19 outbreak, as set out in the Institute for Fiscal Studies report, The mental health effects of the first two months of lockdown and social distancing during the covid-19 pandemic in the UK, published on 10 June 2020; and what steps he is taking to support young (a) men and (b) women so affected.

While we have no current plans to make a specific assessment, we are working with the National Health Service, Public Health England and other stakeholders to gather evidence and assess the potential longer-term mental health impacts of COVID-19 across all demographics.

The COVID-19 mental health and wellbeing recovery action plan, details the actions taken across the Government to support people’s mental wellbeing and to prevent the onset of mental health difficulties, including for all young people. This includes our campaign through Every Mind Matters to raise awareness of the guidance and tools available to support children and young people’s mental wellbeing; £79million to significantly expand children’s mental health services; and £13 million to accelerate the improvements to mental health support for 18 to 25 year olds in the NHS Long Term Plan. This funding is for 2021/22 and in addition to funding through the NHS Long Term Plan.